2000s

I don't have a lot of data here, but I certainly know that I have bonked plenty of times and not enjoyed skating at that moment. However, some research in the last couple of years with (not exactly) fasting has been interesting. I watched a BBC special with eebee about fasting on alternate days (named variously but lately called the 5:2 diet), but I never tried that. (Neither did I specifically try the high intensity training 3 x 20 mins per week that was in another special with the same BBC correspondent, Michael Mosley, but seriously, that's what my skating is like some weeks.) I tend to feel it's a great idea to have breakfast before and endurance event, and I guess the most often workable thing has been dried cranberries and oatmeal with enough water to undry the oatmeal and the cranberries. I also note they mention the only eat during 16 hours of the day idea I've heard lately.

So I mainly added this marker so we could comment on it. Any thoughts?

The U.S. Olympic speedskating team at the 2018 Winter Olympics has a North Carolina accent.

Long track skater Heather Bergsma and short track coach Anthony Barthell hail from High Point, N.C., while long tracker Kimani Griffin is from Winston-Salem.

The Tar Heel State isn’t known as a hotbed for ice sports. But the state has a reputation as a mecca for inline skating, which has increasingly become a key supplier of talent for the U.S. ice speedskating program.

There's quite a lot in this piece about the High Point Speed and Piedmont Speed skating teams and their impact on ice speed skating at the current Olympic games.

I love my Garmin Forerunner 310xt for the GPS, 20-hour battery, big display (even if a clunky housing), and for me, good solid HR readings. I usually don't mind wearing the strap, but sometimes, it is a drag...especially on really hot sweaty days. I'm interested in any experience people have with

Theron Sands is 53 and he skated in the 10,000 meters at the 2018 US Olympic Trials in Milwaukee on Thursday. I won't give away what happened beyond him reaching the qualifying standard for the trials (it takes about 10 seconds to find out) but here's a video made as part of his GoFundMe campaign while working toward it. There's a lot to appreciate about his training and preparation in here, even some wheeled skating.

This is a brief note to point to an article about pro long track speedkating season. The one that matters to me, at least. No disrespect intended to the short track derby, but I like mostly non-contact sport contests of speed. The first turn of an F1 race is admittedly often an exception.

This weekend pro long track starts again, and TeamUSA has some experienced skaters leading up to the Olympics. Notably, Shani Davis, a great speedskater over the years, returns. Also Heather (Richardson) Bergsma, from High Point, NC, is back on the ice for another year always being a threat to win the gold. I don't know how or if I'll be able to catch this off the airwaves or streams, but might make an attempt. Former inliner Joey Mantia will also be on the team!

From their website, a2a.net, which has lots of information under "TELL ME MORE":

Athens to Atlanta (A2A) is the oldest and most famous road skate in America. Starting in Athens, Georgia, participants skate through beautiful country roads and quiet suburbia before navigating city streets and triumphantly crossing the finish line in Atlanta's Old Fourth Ward Skate Park. The course is challenging and requires experienced road skating ability, courage and stamina. Skaters who may not be ready for the whole 87 miles may opt for the 38-mile event, which also starts in Athens, or the 49-mile event, which starts near Dacula, GA. Inline and quad skaters are welcome and anyone from 8 to 80 years old may enter.

Roadskater.net inline skaters have skated A2A as many as 20 times. Familiar names can be found on the A2A Duraskaters (Distance) records page.

* Voted BEST TRIAD CENTURY Ride by Endurance Magazine readers 5 years in a row.* FREE: CAROLINA CENTURY HAT included for the first 300 registrants (pick up event day only).* 102/90/82/72/64/51/40/31/21-Mile routes.* 10 Hour+ Support for Your Epic Ride for 730am start.* We roll RAIN OR SHINE.* 7:30a 10mph+ and 9:00a 12mph+ starts and more.* Bike Ride'n'Roll to Benefit People with MS and to Fight Hunger where we ride.* Hot Chili and Grilled Cheese Sandwich Post-Ride Meal

This article is interesting to me mainly for what it explains about how they decide what substances should be banned, and why cyclists or at least their managers would want to have a drug banned. If there's no performance enhancement, OK. But I'd say being able to not abandon the next day is a sort of performance enhancement. What seems clear to me after this year of delayed startup for skating is that Tramadol makes some people l "loopy," and for others, it's a disappointment. :o) I took various pain killers in fear of how great they might me feel. I still never felt amazing! Oh well.

Anyway, not a bad article to remind us all to be careful what we take before going on the road in a car or on wheels.

I wonder what percentage of drivers on the road are actively under the influence of an opiod, alcohol, or other performance disenhancer.

I usually don't like reading the comments section, but even early on there are some funny responses.